[DeTomaso] NPC - Where to install 2 new tires, front or back?

[Will Kooiman]

Oh the joys of being a teenager with a car...

When I was a teen, there was never a question about which tires to replace.
The rear tires somehow always wore faster.

One time I didn't have money for new tires, but my dad had a new pair
Volkswagen tires.  We didn't have a VW.  I think he accepted them in a
trade.  Back then it was unusual to have steel belted radials.  I found some
rims that fit the tires and my 68 Mustang (302 hot rodded).  And then I
drove around town laying very long narrow black marks.  One mark was on the
road for 10 years.  That night people said sparks were coming from the
tires.  I checked and they were both down to the steel belt.

But I'm must smarter now.  I'm not smart now.  I was just pretty stupid back
then.

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of Mikael
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 12:28 PM
To: MikeLDrew at aol.com; bjbstewart at yahoo.com; DeTomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] NPC - Where to install 2 new tires, front or back?

Normally I would say that if you can't afford 4 tires, you can't afford the
car. But I guess that in this case four tires would double the value of the
car :-)

First fast car I drove (no mails defining fast required, in a sleepy Danish
town in the 80s, this was fast) was a Scirocco GTI. I remember it to steer
just about as good and neutral as a FWD car can. It was my mother's car. One
day I helped her get new tires mounted, drove it to the tire shop. With a
friend. Along the way we passed a large parking basement. Why waste the old
tread? With the handbrake and a little power we made very noisy wheelspin in
that basement until the tread was gone.


Mikael

-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: MikeLDrew at aol.com [mailto:MikeLDrew at aol.com] 
Sendt: 13. marts 2012 08:33
Til: bjbstewart at yahoo.com; DeTomaso at realbig.com
Emne: Re: [DeTomaso] NPC - Where to install 2 new tires, front or back?


In a message dated 3/12/12 20 31 44, bjbstewart at yahoo.com writes:


> Anyone else caught by surprise by that?
> 

When I bought my green Scirocco for $35, the front tires were wasted 
because it was set up for autrossing and had about 2 degrees of negative
camber.   
The rear tires were almost unworn but had been sitting outside in the sun 
for several years.   When I got the car running, I fixed the alignment and I

bought two new tires and put them on the front.   Drove home from the tire 
shop, turned into my neighborhood with my characteristic vigor, and promptly

lost it and did a full 180-degree spin!   I backed up and as soon as I got 
to the house, swapped the tires front-to-rear.   The car then understeered a

lot, which was safer.   I eventually replaced the other tires as well and 
now it's a perfectly-balanced weapon. 

In fact, it passed you in your Pantera at Thunderhill, all 85 horsepower of
it, and toting a Mad Dog passenger to boot! :>)

Mike

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